Last year's perseid meteor shower... over Nevada. (Getty)
There's a massive perseid meteor shower coming to the skies, but as New Yorkers we must accept this kind of information alongside the knowledge that we may never see it. Our city lights, you see, are too big and bright. The bubble we live in shields us from the mediocrity outside of the five boroughs, but it also blocks our view of the spectacular things the universe has to offer.
So anyway, this meteor shower is coming SOON, and we wanted to know what our chances of seeing it would be. We reached out to the American Museum of Natural History, where Jackie Faherty, a research associate in the Museum’s Department of Astrophysics, gave us some insight.
WHAT are the perseids?
The Perseids are one of the most popular meteor showers to watch. It's summer, it's nice out and they usually put on a great show. This year will be particularly good because they are in outburst, so we will have nearly double the usual number.
WHEN are the perseids?
The peak should be between August 9th to 13th, and it looks like August 12th will be the highest number day.
HOW will I see the perseids in NYC?
For NYC viewers I have a few recommendations: First when you see numbers like "200 meteors per hour" thats for the darkest skies in the U.S. That will be the number possible to see, but in NYC we only see the brightest fireballs. So you can expect much lower numbers... but don't get down because if you are patient you will see them. Second, the moon will be a hindrance. Unfortunately the full moon is August 18th, so unless you want to stay up super late, earlier in August will be better than later. On August 12th moonset is 12:53 a.m., August 11th it's 12:16 a.m. You will have a much better chance of seeing the meteors once the moon is gone.
WHERE should I view the perseids from in NYC?
The darkest spot is a great option, but a not as dark spot with a huge swath of sky that you can see is better. I usually recommend rooftops for city dwellers. Try to look at the darkest area of the sky that you can see from a rooftop and just wait. 30 minutes at a minimum. The longer you are out there the better. Also, don't get discouraged if you don't see anything right away. Astronomy is a long game, not a short one.
The key to this whole meteor shower thing is patience, so follow the above instructions and prepare to settle in for a bit. Maybe put on some classic rock and recreate Laser Floyd out in the open air. Or just watch it on your laptop inside like a real New Yorker—NASA will be streaming it.
